Improve Saudi women's roles in higher education Institutions under Vision 2030

Author : Fatimah Alneel

Abstract :Among the Arabian nations, women have been underrepresented in the leadership of higher learning institutions. They are faced with barriers to career advancement in academia even though there have been different changes to the academic culture in the past decades. One of the affected countries is Saudi Arabia, which has long been known for its marginalization of women. In the institutions of higher learning, the higher number of men compared to women who hold leadership positions only serve to perpetuate gender stereotypes (e.g. that women are not as capable as men of being leaders). In chapter one of my dissertation, I will be delving into the overview of the impact of vision 2030 on Saudi women in higher education institutions. Also, among Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia is the highest spender in the education sector. It provides free education in colleges and universities. As such, the country has invested in more than forty universities and colleges. The government of Saudi Arabia has been providing financial support to these colleges where it allocates budget annually through the Education Ministry. Financial support has been essential for facilitating success in universities. However, this is based on the level of support that they receive from the government. Even though this has been a significant achievement, the marginalization of women remains a critical situation facing women in Saudi Arabia. Educational opportunities for women are based on Islamic principles (Al-Mssallem, 2018). Islam is the main religion for the community in Saudi and the basis for defining the status of women in society. The misinterpretation of some Islamic teachings and traditional culture have contributed to the marginalization of women in the education sector. Feminist groups have made strides to address laws and norms that have hindered women from succeeding in the education sector. Moreover, there are severe economic impacts of not allowing women equal opportunities in the education sector.

Keywords :Women, Leadership, Education, Saudi Arabia, Marginalization

Conference Name :International Conference on Higher Education and Educational Technology (ICHEET - 24)

Conference Place Chicago, USA

Conference Date 8th Nov 2024